Motor driven surgical instrument

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft extending from said housing;
• an end effector, comprising:
• a first jaw;
• a second jaw rotatable between an unclamped position and a clamped position to clamp the tissue of a patient to said first jaw;
• a staple cartridge comprising staples removably stored therein;
• an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft;
• an articulation drive system configured to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint;
• a clamping drive system configured to move said second jaw from said unclamped position to said clamped position during a closure stroke;
• a staple firing system configured to eject said staples from said staple cartridge during a staple firing stroke;
• a transmission shiftable between a first operational state and a second operational state;
• a first electric motor system configured to drive said clamping drive system and selectively shift said transmission between said first operational state and said second operational state;
• a second electric motor system configured to drive said articulation drive system when said transmission is in said first operational state and drive said staple firing system when said transmission is in said second operational state, wherein said second electric motor system is operable independently of said first electric motor system
• a control system configured to control the operation of said first electric motor system and said second electric motor system;
• a position sensor configured to detect the position of said second jaw, wherein said position sensor is in communication with said control system;
• and
• a current sensor configured to detect the load on said first electric motor system, wherein said current sensor is in communication with said control system, wherein said control system operates said first electric motor system to overclose said second jaw during said staple firing stroke.

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft extending from said housing, wherein said shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
• an end effector, comprising:
• a first jaw;
• a second jaw rotatable between an unclamped position and a clamped position to clamp the tissue of a patient to said first jaw;
• an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft;
• an articulation drive system configured to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint;
• a clamping drive system configured to move said second jaw from said unclamped position to said clamped position during a closure stroke;
• a firing system configured to perform a firing stroke;
• a first electric motor system configured to drive said clamping drive system;
• and
• a second electric motor system shiftable between a first operational state and a second operational state by said clamping drive system, wherein said second electric motor system is configured to drive said articulation drive system when in said first operational state and drive said firing system when in said second operational state, and wherein said clamping drive system is configured to shift said second electric motor system to said second operational state based on said clamping drive system moving said second jaw to said clamped position,
• wherein said shaft and said end effector are rotatable about said longitudinal axis.

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft extending from said housing, wherein said shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
• an end effector, comprising:
• a first jaw;
• a second jaw rotatable between an unclamped position and a clamped position to clamp the tissue of a patient to said first jaw;
• an articulation joint rotatably connecting said end effector to said shaft;
• an articulation drive system configured to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint;
• a clamping drive system configured to move said second jaw from said unclamped position to said clamped position during a closure stroke;
• a firing system configured to perform a firing stroke;
• a first electric motor system configured to drive said clamping drive system;
• a second electric motor system shiftable between a first operational state and a second operational state by said clamping drive system, wherein said second electric motor system is configured to drive said articulation drive system when in said first operational state and drive said firing system when in said second operational state, wherein said shaft and said end effector are rotatable about said longitudinal axis,
• a control system configured to control the operation of said first electric motor system and said second electric motor system;
• a position sensor configured to detect the position of said second jaw, wherein said position sensor is in communication with said control system;
• and
• a current sensor configured to detect the load on said first electric motor system, wherein said current sensor is in communication with said control system, wherein said control system operates said first electric motor system to overclose said second jaw during said firing stroke.